Exchange system, telephone exchange apparatus, and voice message notification method

Abstract

When an incoming call directed to an extension terminal arrives from an external telephone terminal and the incoming call signal is transferred to a voice mail unit, a voice message detection section of the voice mail unit detects the presence or absence of a voice message from the caller before the extension terminal is notified that recording of the voice message from the caller is started. When the voice message from the caller is detected, a central control section informs the extension terminal that the voice message is detected.

1 . An exchange system comprising: 
 a telephone exchange apparatus that accommodates a plurality of extensions to which telephone terminals are connected, and connects the telephone exchange apparatus to an external line; and    a voice storage unit that is connected to the telephone exchange apparatus, responds to an incoming call through the telephone exchange apparatus, and stores a voice message sent from the calling telephone terminal in a mail box provided fro each of the telephone terminals,    wherein the voice storage unit comprises:    a detection unit the detects the voice message sent from the calling telephone terminal after connection to the calling telephone terminal; and    an information unit that, when the voice message is detected, sends detection information to the telephone exchange apparatus, the detection information informing the detection of the voice message, and    wherein the telephone exchange apparatus comprises a notification unit that notifies the detection of the voice message to the telephone terminal corresponding to the mail box in which the voice message is detected when the detection information is received from the voice storage unit.    
   
   
       2 . The exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies the detection of the voice message to the telephone terminal corresponding to the mail box in which the voice message is detected when the voice storage unit detects the voice message continuously for a predetermined time period.  
   
   
       3 . The exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies to the telephone terminal to display the detection of the voice message.  
   
   
       4 . The exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the notification unit notifies to the telephone terminal to output a tone indicating the detection of the voice message.  
   
   
       5 . The exchange system according to  claim 4 , wherein the notification unit notifies to the telephone terminal to output the tone when the voice storage unit detects the voice message.  
   
   
       6 . The exchange system according to  claim 4 , wherein the notification unit notifies to the telephone terminal to output the tome at a predetermined time intervals.  
   
   
       7 . The exchange system according to  claim 1 , wherein the voice storage unit further comprises: 
 a silence detection unit that detects silence continuing for a predetermined time or more; and    a silence information unit that sends silence information to the telephone exchange apparatus, the silence information informing the detection of the silence, and    wherein the telephone exchange apparatus further comprises a stop unit that stops notifying the telephone terminal by the notification unit when the silence information is received from the voice storage unit.    
   
   
       8 . A telephone exchange apparatus comprising: 
 a plurality of extensions to which telephone terminals are connected; and    a connector that connects an external line to which the telephone terminals are connected through the extensions,    wherein the telephone exchange apparatus is configured to be connectable with a voice storage unit that responds to an incoming call through the telephone exchange apparatus, and stores a voice message sent from the calling telephone terminal in a mail box provided fro each of the telephone terminals, and    wherein the telephone exchange apparatus further comprises a notification unit that notifies the detection of the voice message to the telephone terminal corresponding to the mail box in which the voice message is detected when the detection information is received from the voice storage unit.    
   
   
       9 . The telephone exchange apparatus according to  claim 8 , further comprising a stop unit that stops notifying the telephone terminal by the notification unit when silence information is received from the voice storage unit, the silence information informing a detection of silence continuing for a predetermined time or more.  
   
   
       10 . A method for notifying a voice message used with an exchange system including: 
 a telephone exchange apparatus that accommodates a plurality of extensions to which telephone terminals are connected, and connects the telephone exchange apparatus to an external line; and    a voice storage unit that is connected to the telephone exchange apparatus, responds to an incoming call through the telephone exchange apparatus, and stores a voice message sent from the calling telephone terminal in a mail box provided fro each of the telephone terminals,    wherein the method comprising:    detecting by the voice storage unit the voice message sent from the calling telephone terminal after connection to the calling telephone terminal;    informing detection information to the telephone exchange apparatus when the voice message is detected, the detection information informing the detection of the voice message; and    notifying by the telephone exchange apparatus the detection of the voice message to the telephone terminal corresponding to the mail box in which the voice message is detected when the detection information is received from the voice storage unit.